I felt ashamed. There was so much to do last night, and there was no time to waste. I didn’t have time to run out of gas. What was wrong with me? Why couldn’t I keep going? Then the epiphany: there is nothing wrong with a car that runs out of gas. The problem is being out of gas.

Not many adults would call themselves artists, but that spark of creativity is still there. Letting creativity come forth within the church can be a meaningful aspect of your church’s mental health ministry, and may even lead people outside of church life to think differently about faith.

In the last four months, one significant and concerning trend I’ve noticed in social media conversations among ministry leaders has been the uptick in the need for suicide information. Reducing mental illness stigma and prevention are the techniques with the most impact. Here are some other approaches that may help.

As I spent much time on bended knee, tending to this little girl with her endless needs, I experienced deeper worship than I’d ever known. I often found myself at the end of my own strength and skills, and I learned to depend much greater on God. Without a spoken word, she’s taught me more about Jesus than any sermon I’ve ever listened to.

Guest blogger Jeremy Smith of Church and Mental Health reflects back on a powerful spiritual exercise and how similar approaches can be helpful for his counseling clients who want to incorporate faith into their counseling sessions.

So...if we're wrestling with a business challenge or providing a service or advocating for a specific candidate or cause, the question on the table is this - will this action reflect well upon the reputation of the One I claim to serve in front of a hostile world?